Good News - May 2019

World-Class Developer Champions the Cause of Homeless Veterans and Families Shelly Pond Good News B uilding on the legacy of Ireland’s Inn, Andy Mitchell, CEO of The Fairwinds Group and President of Operation Lift Hope, has erected the $650 million luxurious Auberge Beach Residences and Spa in Fort Laud- erdale while on a mission to end homelessness for veterans and families. With a seemingly endless sup- ply of energy and a deep, guiding faith, Mitchell has become a strong community advocate, urging busi- ness leaders to join forces with government officials and service providers to solve the housing crisis. Formerly a divisional president and CEO for Masco, one of largest home furnishing companies in the U.S. with over $2 billion in annual sales, Mitchell and his wife Kathy Ireland Mitchell moved back to South Florida in 2002 after being invited by Kathy’s father, Jack Ireland, and grandmother, Lillian Ireland, to take on the family business. Ireland’s Inn, opened on Fort Lauderdale beach in 1965, was known for its friendly hospitality and the Windows Restaurant that served up legendary key lime pie and pan fried chicken. However the salt and sea had taken their toll on the building over the years and it was in need of a refresh, especially after hurricane Wilma damaged it in 2005. Andy envisioned something grand and set out to acquire the 28 parcels of land surrounding Ireland’s Inn in order to develop a sleek new property that would be truly special. It took three and a half years just to acquire the land, and Andy discovered, “peo- ple are concerned deeply about the quality of life here in Fort Lauderdale.” Over time Andy allayed the fears of preservationists and those concerned about big developers coming in by presenting an aesthetically pleasing tiered design. “I’ve always felt you win arguments by listening to peo- ple,” Andy said. “These are my neighbors and we wanted something at the end that we could be proud of and that they also had a part of.” Kathy noted, “Andy’s gift is to take a difficult situation, make it simple and solve it. It’s a God-given talent and I’ve told him that his whole life.” Living in Fort Lauderdale, it didn’t take long before Andy encountered the homeless problem. “There were people taking showers right here at the end of the street – no clothes on,” he said. But rather than turning the other way, he was drawn in by their stories and got involved. “What started this thing for me really was sitting in the back of a police car with Sandi Downs-Keesling and Lorraine Wilby, interviewing the people who didn’t have a place to stay. I spent all afternoon with them, and it had a profound impact on me,” Andy said. Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Sandy Downs- Keesling met Andy while she was working an off duty detail and struck up a conversation about her work doing community outreach. “He really wanted to find out what was going on. He didn’t think it was as complex as it is until he started looking behind the scenes at how everything works.” Andy’s interest was piqued when he learned about her nephew, Andrew, who was in the Marines and did two tours in Iraq. “When my nephew came home, he couldn’t find a full time job, so he took a job doing private contract work in Afghanistan. Three-weeks shy of his contract being up he was killed inAfghanistan at 26 years old,” she explained. “When Andy found that out, he said, ‘How can we let veterans come back and not have a job? That’s absurd.’” Raised by a military father, Andy said, “My dad was a Word War II Army Ranger who landed in Nor- mandy. Lost a bunch of his guys the first couple of days. Went out on a stretcher the third day, and for- tunately he survived. Disabled, but you’d never know it. Tough as nails.” As Andy was acquiring the land around Ireland’s Inn and working to vacate the street right-of-way, it was all shut down and became a training ground for first responders. Eventually, Andy received a call from SEAL Team 6. This elite military team was looking for a place to conduct special operations training. Concerned about raising the ire of neighbors while trying to get approvals for construction, Andy was hesitant. Acall fromWashington, D.C. prompted Andy to meet Bruno Fallon, who heads up training for the Navy SEALs. Andy quickly realized, “These Andy and Kathy Mitchell photo credit TAMZ Photography Ireland’s Inn